Eel has long been regarded in many cultures around the world as being high in natural nutrition, and this has been confirmed by modern medicinal science. Cooked and served the Arments way, stewed eels are one of the tastiest, best value, high nutrition foods available today – fresh pieces of seasonal eel, lightly cooked to perfection, served hot in our very own special liquor with parsley.
Regarding nutritional value in stewed eels; the protein content for instance is almost twice that found in the equivalent portion of egg or pork, and eel is also high in unsaturated fat, minerals such as calcium, EPA and DHA, and vitamins such as E and in particular A, which helps with normal vision, the immune system, and healthy functioning of the major organs.
Stewed eel and Jellied eel dishes really took off in London from the mid 19th Century, when Eel and Pie houses took over from the eel piemen whom had plied thier trade on the street corners of the Eastend. Live eels would be held in tanks in the eel pie and mash shops, and would often escape, trying to wriggle their way back to the Thames! Interestingly, this was at a time when the Thames was heavily polluted and the eel population declined – so quality eels were shipped in on barges from Holland and sold live at Billingsgate Market. These days many of the eels come from Ireland from sustainable sources, and seasonally from further afield to allow stocks to thrive.
Listen to Cheryl Arment talking about Stewed eels and Jellied eels on Jay Rayner’s Radio 4 program The Kitchen Cabinet
